it was observed, that this cannot be fully done without taking a future World into the Account. For it is then that the great Scheme of Providence fhall be compleated, and all thofe Difficulties which now puzzle and aftonish our Minds fhall be fully adjusted and reconciled. We cannot therefore more properly conclude this Subject, in treating of which we have endeavoured to take a general View of the Administrations of Divine Providence towards Mankind, than by turning our Thoughts to a State of future Judgment and Retributions, when all the Designs of God towards the human Race fhall be brought to their final important Iffues.

To this the Words of the Wise-man, which I have now chofen to infift upon, feem plainly to refer. He had said in the Verfe immediately preceding, I faw under the Sun, the Place of Judgment, that Wickedness was there; and the Place of Righteouf nefs, that Iniquity was there. It hath often happened, that they whofe proper Work and Office it is to execute Juftice and Judgment, to punish evil Doers, and to do Right to the injured and oppreffed, are themselves unrighteous and unjuft. They join with the Oppreffors against the poor and innocent, and fuffer Judgment to be perverted in Favour of the wealthy and powerful. This made a great

I

a great Impreffion upon his Mind, and he frequently takes Notice of it in this Book. Thus Ch. v. 8. he reprefenteth it as no uncommon Thing to fee the Oppreffion of the Poor, and violent perverting of Justice and Judgment in a Province. And Ch. iv. 1. returned (faith he) and pondered all the Oppreffions that are under the Sun; and behold the Tears of fuch as were oppreffed, and they bad no Comforter; and on the Side of their Opprefors there was Power; but they, i. e.. the oppreffed, had no Comforter. This fo affected his Heart, that in the Bitterness of his Concern he adds, Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead, more than the living which are yet alive. But this seems to have been the Language of Paffion and Melancholy. A more juft and reafonable Conclufion from the fame Premises, and which he formed in the cool deliberate Judgment of his Mind, is that which is contained in the Words we are now to confider; I faid in mine Heart, God fhall judge the righteous and the wicked. Since it often happeneth that no Juftice is to be found at earthly Tribunals, it is natural and reasonable to believe that there is a Time coming, when God will fet all Things right, and will call all Mankind to an Account for their Actions, and put a remarkable Difference between the righteous and

the

the wicked. For, as it is added, there is a Time there, i. e. with him, for every Purpofe, and for every Work. He hath in his great Wisdom appointed the properest Time for every Work, and therefore we may be fure he hath appointed a Time for this, which is the most important Work of all, and upon which the good Order of the World and of his Government doth very much depend; viz. the judging all Men, both the righteous and the wicked, and diftributing proper Retributions. And to

this the Wife-man hath a manifeft Reference in that remarkable Paffage with which he concludeth this Book: For God Jhall bring every Work into Judgment, with every fecret Thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. In which Words he cannot be supposed to intend that God doth always and in every Inftance execute Judgment upon Men in this present Life: the contrary to which he most exprefsly declareth in this Book. For he complains, that in this World all Things come alike to all, and that there is one Event to the righteous and to the wicked. Ch. ix. 2. And again, that there is a juft Man that perisheth in his Righteoufness, and that there is a wicked Man that prolongeth his Life in his Wickedness. Ch. vii. 15. Or, as he expreffeth it Ch. viii. 14. There is a Vanity

which is done upon the Earth, that there be juft Men unto whom it happeneth according to the Work of the wicked: and there be wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the Work of the righteous. When therefore he faith, that God fhall bring every Work into Judgment, it must be underftood of a Judgment which fhall be executed upon Men in a future State after this prefent Life is at an End. And what plainly demonftrates this, is, that he declares univerfally, that God will bring every Work into Judgment, with every fecret Thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. For who will pretend to fay, that this is done in this present World? The Expreffions are as ftrong as those used by St. Paul in defcribing the laft general Judgment, that then every Man fhall receive the Things done in his Body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Cor. v. 10. and that in that Day God fhall judge the Secrets of Men. Rom. ii. 16. To which it may be added, that to interpret these Words as referring to a future Judgment, feems best to agree to the Scope and Defign of this Book, which is to fhew the Vanity of all Things here below, and to the Conclufion he draweth from it: Hear the Conclufion of the whole Matter: Fear God, and keep

VOL. I.

Bb

his

his Commandments; for this is the All of Man. So it is in the Original, i. e. his whole Duty and Happiness too. And then he

addeth, For God shall bring every Work into Judgment, with every fecret Thing, &c. The Argument is ftrong and cogent, if understood of the future Judgment, when God will call all Mankind to a strict Account for their Conduct. And it is with a View to this, that he warneth a young Man in the Heat of his youthful Lufts and Paffions, to confider, that for all thefe Things God will bring him into Judgment. Ch. xi. 9. To this future Judgment therefore he may be reasonably supposed to refer, when he here declareth, I said in mine Heart, God fhall judge the righteous and the wicked; i. e. he fhall fo judge them as to reward the one, and punish the other. For to judge Men, and yet in confequence of fuch a Judgment to appoint no Retributions of Rewards and Punishments, would be to all the Purposes of Government, as if they were not judged, yea, it would be a more inconfiftent Conduct than not to call them to an Account for their Actions at all.

I have infifted the more largely upon opening the true Intention and Defign of this Paffage, because it affordeth a clear and ftrong Proof of what some Perfons

are